[tssva]

For now the case has been sent back to the district court for it to determine fair use questions. The API is now considered copyrightable but Google's use of it may fall under fair use. The district court needs to decide this. Whatever the outcome expect either side to appeal which means any practical significance may be years away.

[msandford]

The idea of an API being copyrightable is ridiculous. An API describes and interface between application code and system code. It describes the "shape" of the interface.

So now Oracle has an (effectively) infinite length patent (it's technically a copyright which at this point is eternal as long as Disney keeps lobbying) on the shape of the Java API. Perfect.